


Keep Me Warm In The Midst Of Winter

by Zaxal



Category: Psych
Genre: Banter, Cuddling & Snuggling, Domestic Fluff, Holidays, M/M, Married Couple
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-25
Updated: 2015-12-25
Packaged: 2018-05-09 04:16:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5525063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zaxal/pseuds/Zaxal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Their first Christmas as a married couple finds Shawn and Carlton vacationing away from Santa Barbara. This is one day of their vacation.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Keep Me Warm In The Midst Of Winter

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MuiromeM](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MuiromeM/gifts).



He woke in increments, no alarm blaring in his ears, no urgency to get up to start the day. Could open his eyes slowly, basking in the warmth of the shared bed, feel the body pressed against his own, the arm wrapped around him. Didn't have to rush, didn't have to do anything but exist, taking in the golden light of dawn as it streamed through the window, motes floating hazily through the air.

He had to admit, the cabin had been a good idea. It hadn't been his, so he'd been reluctant. When he'd expressed his concerns to Karen, she told him to take the holiday off, that they could afford to have their Head Detective out of pocket for a week. He had thought that he wouldn't be able to shut off the need to work, but between the several hours of roadtrip and the several hours of relaxing with his husband, his own nose buried in a book while Shawn doodled in the sketchpad he'd brought along with him, he'd somehow found himself complacent, content.

He gently touched the arm Shawn had wrapped around him, easily finding the plain band sitting on one of his fingers. Twined his own fingers with Shawn's, feeling a sappy smile twitch on his lips.

It was their first Christmas like this. The thought made his stomach flutter, made him feel so unbearably happy and yet so anxious as if he still couldn't believe it was real. Like a dream he expected to wake up from any minute but hadn't yet.

He slowly tried to scoot out of bed, but Shawn held tightly onto him, burying his nose in the nape of Carlton's neck, sighing, "Few more minutes."

"Minutes?" he teased.

"Hours?" Shawn murmured. "We've got nothing but time."

Six more days until they had to leave the cabin. They did have a limit, but Shawn was right. There were no obligations; there was no reason to get out of bed until they felt like it. Carlton hadn't indulged himself like this in decades, hadn't stopped chasing promotions and opportunities to prove himself.

It had destroyed his first marriage; he'd be damned if he let it ruin the second.

"You're a bad influence," he said with a rumbling laugh. Shawn wrapped tighter around him, humming, pleased.

"Guilty as charged. You gonna book me or put me on the naughty list?"

"Both. But since you confessed, your sentencing might be lenient."

"Mm," Shawn hummed again, pressing his smile against Carlton's skin. "Don't suppose we could work out a deal, detective?"

Carlton huffed softly, his smile widening. "I'm offended you would dare ask."

"Buuuut?"

"If you help me with breakfast, I might let you off with a warning."

"Fair." Shawn rested his head on Carlton's shoulder. "Does that mean we have to get out of bed now?"

"Are you hungry?"

"Only a little."

"Then," Carlton considered, arching back into him, "I guess we can wait a little while longer."

This had taken time to evolve, first in their working relationship and then into their off-duty interactions. They still teased; they still irritated each other for fun. But then there were moments like this, where it was simple, quiet. Where it was enough to just be together.

He could remember the first time anyone besides the two of them had seen it; Henry had invited the four of them out for a summer barbecue at his house, and Shawn had seemed to be taking turns between bickering with his boyfriend and his father. Finally, a moment of silence had washed over the group, and Shawn had slumped in the seat beside Carlton, reaching out with his hand to brush his knuckles over Carlton's own.

The silence hadn't been oppressive or awkward – it had been comfortable.

Gus and Juliet had exchanged meaningful looks, but no one broke the silence for several long minutes, until Shawn finally leaned forward and insisted on showing the other three a cute cat video he found online.

Like that, it was over, and everyone knew. It wasn't a fling; it wasn't a ticking bomb waiting to explode. This was them, together, and it could be harmonious. It could be good.

\-----

Breakfast was messier than usual; it was their first time cooking in the unfamiliar kitchen, bumping into each other, not moving with the smooth fluidity that they'd established at home. Shawn felt cheeky enough to slip an ice cube down the back of his shirt then take off running, knowing Carlton couldn't chase while eggs and bacon fried on the stove.

"This isn't over, Spencer!" He yelled after him as he shook the ice out of his shirt.

There was no audible response which was suspicious, but when Shawn finally slunk back into the kitchen to help like he'd promised he would, he didn't seem intent on further pranks.

Carlton kept his own face neutral, raising his eyebrows as Shawn nudged him out of the way and took over the bacon. "You're gonna burn it."

"Someone was distracting me."

Shawn glanced around for the supposed culprit, attempting to look innocent though the corner of his mouth twitched up as Carlton glared at him. If not for the proximity of the stove and the possibilities for burns, he might have been tempted to teach him a lesson.

It could wait. He could be patient until the moment was right. Shawn wouldn't even see it coming.

They ate on the deck, bundled up in their clothes and looking out at the view from the cabin, the expanse of the valley below, trees swaying in the cold December breeze. "We should come out at night," Shawn murmured, leaning closer, heedless of the way their elbows knocked together if they weren't careful. "I wonder if you can see lights."

"We could go down and take a look," Carlton said, dread balling up in his stomach at the idea of leaving the bubble they'd already created here, away from the rest of the world, alone, just the two of them.

"We could've stayed in Santa Barbara." Shawn looked up at him, a crumb of scrambled egg on the corner of his mouth. "I want it to be just us."

Carlton nodded, reached up, and wiped the crumb off. Shawn leaned forward to lick the crumb off his finger. "Was saving that, _thank you_."

"Sure, you were." Took a deep breath, feeling the clean, crisp mountain air flood his lungs.

It was strange. Until this year, Christmas had been just another holiday. Carlton often had work, covering for people with their families before spending the evening with his mothers and Lulu. Marrying Shawn, he hadn't expected much to change except to bring Shawn along with him and to spend some of the day with Henry.

But out of the blue, Shawn had suggested this: a new tradition. Not that they were going to run away every year, but they would spend the holiday together. It would be something of theirs. If Carlton had to work, they'd reschedule.

It made Carlton feel like Shawn was just as anxious, just as desperate as he was to make this work.

Not that their relationship had been bumpy once they'd gotten through the first awkward baby steps of it, but they were two very different people, neither of whom had the best track record when it came to romantic entanglements. The worry was there, that love wouldn't be enough to hold them together.

They put their plates on the table, and Shawn scooted closer to him. "We can come out here and look at the lights tonight," Shawn murmured, pressing a kiss to his jaw. "Bet it'll be like we have a bunch of Christmas trees. With, y'know, none of the decorating or pine needles."

"None of the work," he observed.

"Exactly," Shawn grinned shamelessly. He leaned back, and Carlton pressed their lips together, only to jump when something cold landed on the hand cupping Shawn's face.

A snowflake melted against his skin, another falling and landing on the bridge of Shawn's nose that he wriggled to try and get rid of. Carlton laughed quietly which earned him a soft warning punch to the arm. "Come on, I'm not dressed for snow."

"Me either." He picked their plates up and stood, looking out as the first fall of glimmering flakes dotted the sky. "What are the plans for today?" he asked, heading back inside, knowing that Shawn had prepared an itinerary of things they needed to do before Christmas together.

"Christmas movies!" Shawn declared, scampering inside after holding the door open for him. "And some hot cocoa and obnoxiously big marshmallows."

\-----

It turned out that Shawn's definition of 'Christmas movies' extended to the entirety of the _Die Hard_ series, which they'd found much more exciting and entertaining than the first cheesy stop-motion movie they'd sat through in an attempt to get into the holiday spirit. Halfway through _Die Hard 2_ , Carlton reached for his drink and scooped an ice cube out with his tongue.

It was child's play to slip it into Shawn shirt with him cuddled on the couch with him, and Carlton immediately grabbed him, preventing him from running around or getting away from it. Shawn made a high-pitched noise and thrashed trying to get away, yelling about 'cheating' which only made Carlton laugh so hard that Shawn eventually was able to get free.

"Now we have to rewind! I hope you're happy!"

"You started it."

Shawn made an offended noise and shook out the back of his shirt until the tiny shard of what had once been a cube fell onto the cabin floor. "I didn't attack you during the climax of _Die Hard 2_!"

"To be fair," Carlton pointed out, "I could have done it during _Die Hard_."

Shawn's eyes narrowed at him before he reached over and snatched the remote to pause the movie. "We're even now, right?"

"Yes."

"So, truce until the movies are over."

Carlton smirked. "And then?"

"All's fair in love and war, Lassie." He pulled his shirt off. "Gonna go change into something not wet and cold. You," he pointed accusingly with the hand holding the shirt, "rewind." Held out the remote until Carlton took it, and when he came back, he was wearing one of Carlton's shirts, meant to make him think twice about exacting further revenge lest he find himself short on clothes before the end of the trip.

If Shawn didn't realize that he'd brought extra clothes just in case – well, that's Shawn's fault for not paying attention while they were packing.

By the time the movie was over, Shawn had forgiven him enough to use him as a pillow, and if Carlton didn't like the warm weight of him, didn't like the way Shawn wriggled to snuggle closer, he might have protested. But the truth was that he loved this, loved the intimacies Shawn had introduced to their relationship, loved the lingering touches and inside jokes and the way their bodies fit together now like they'd been made for the other.

Neither of them wanted to get up to change the movie, but eventually Shawn did, and they settled again together, easy and natural.

The sun set on the lazy day, darkness clouding in around them. They turned on a single lamp, which abruptly went out in the middle of _Live Free or Die Hard_ as did the TV.

For a moment, there was silence throughout the cabin, both of them expecting a hiccup before the power came back, but after a few moments, it became clear that it wasn't going to resolve itself as quickly as it happened. "Well," Shawn considered after a few more moments, "that sucks."

"The heater's stopped, too."

"Fantastic," Shawn said, a hint of a whine in his voice.

Carlton squeezed his shoulder gently. "Call the owner and see if it's just the cabin without power or if other people are out, too. I'll go get some wood for the fireplace." There was a neat little pile stacked just outside the front door. Shawn sighed and reached for his cellphone, light illuminating the darkness.

"No signal." He pushed himself awkwardly up, having to navigate clumsily around in the dark. "Let me see if I can get one on the deck." Carlton was feeling his way towards the front door when he heard Shawn whisper, "Wow." Louder, he called out, "Hey, looks like either no one decorated, or the valley's out of power, too."

Carlton walked over to look out at the inky darkness of night that covered the picturesque view. He could see, vaguely, the shapes of the trees below, thanks to the nearly-full moon that beamed in the cloudy sky, illuminating snowflakes as they twisted and danced in the breeze.

Carlton wasn't overly fond of snow, truth be told. It had a time and place, and that time and place was not when their power and heat had just gone off. He shivered. "Wood, fireplace, then we'll go from there."

"I kinda got a signal; I'll try to call." Shawn reached out and squeezed his shoulder comfortingly, already dialing with his other hand. Having a partner who seemed to know everything had its benefits, meant that he didn't have to voice his petty concerns and phobias because Shawn already knew.

Carlton got the start of a fire going, spreading from the starting stick onto the larger logs, and he navigated carefully through the darkened cabin to find blankets, doubting that either he or Shawn would move far from the fireplace until the power came back, if it did tonight at all.

Shawn came in shivering. "Some kind of accident. Said the power might be out for a day or so."

"There wasn't much firewood," Carlton said, grimacing.

"We'll make it work," Shawn said with confidence. "Gonna go grab some flashlights – they told me where they are." He scampered off without warning while Carlton encouraged the flames to build higher before latching the screen on to keep embers and pieces of firewood from escaping onto the floor. Shawn came back wielding two flashlights, making lightsaber noises as he flashed them across the living room.

"Turn those off; conserve the batteries."

"Yes, General Lassieface, sir." Could see Shawn's grin before the lights went out, leaving only the fireplace to illuminate the living room in softer light. "We'll be nice and toasty and warm. Maybe later we can find a way to roast marshmallows."

Carlton felt an attempt at a smile tug at his lips. "Maybe." He sat back on the couch, and Shawn, after a moment of contemplation, followed, sitting the flashlights on the table and grabbing a blanket to throw around the two of them.

"It'll be all right," Shawn said, sounding less sure than either of them hoped for. "I mean, we've still got a few days of vacation, Christmas isn't even here yet, and-" Carlton leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to his jawline.

"This could be romantic," he said, drawing Shawn into his arms.

"If I'd stop running my mouth?" Shawn said with a quiet laugh.

"No," Carlton said calmly. "I knew what I was signing up for."

"No second thoughts? Cold feet?"

"You tell me," Carlton teased before brushing his feet against Shawn's who squawked indignantly.

"I'm _trying_ to ensure your eternal and unwavering devotion to me, Carly."

"Spencer," he purred, pressing another kiss to his jaw, then his neck. "It's gonna take a hell of a lot more than the power going out to change how I feel about you."

"You're trying to distract me," he complained, tilting his head to give Carlton further access.

"Guilty as charged."

Of the two of them, Shawn was the more liable to question, to get nervous, to run rather than face their problems and work them out together. Assurances, even totally honest ones, weren't always able to derail the speeding train of Shawn's thoughts and anxieties. Distraction worked more often for the day-to-day problems, and discussion could be saved for when it was truly needed.

Neither of them enjoyed talking about their feelings. But they would make themselves if they had to. Dedication won out over the stubborn desire to be seen as strong and unwavering, eternally confident.

"Why don't you go get the marshmallows, and we'll figure out how to roast them."

"Because," Shawn said, gently headbutting Carlton, nuzzling softly, "I'm warm here with you, and I don't wanna get up."

His heart swelled with affection. "Good answer."

"The honest answer."

"Honesty is the best policy."

"Debatable." Shawn gave an impish smirk and snuggled close.

They talked about everything and nothing, breaking apart only to stoke the fire and then resuming their vigil on the couch. With some careful rearranging, they could both lay together on the couch, cuddled close and warm, and that was how they eventually fell asleep.


End file.
